ML25035A121
| ML25035A121 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Issue date: | 02/08/2025 |
| From: | Victor Hall NRC/RES/DSA |
| To: | Meena Khanna NRC/NRR/DRA |
| References | |
| Download: ML25035A121 (1) | |
Text
MEMORANDUM TO:
Meena Khanna, Acting Director Division of Risk Analysis Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation FROM:
Victor Hall, Acting Director Division of Systems Analysis Office of Nuclear Regulatory Research
SUBJECT:
CLOSURE OF RESEARCH ASSISTANCE REQUEST (RAR)
NRR-2021-011, VARSKIN COMPUTER CODE DEVELOPMENT The purpose of this memorandum is to inform you that the Office of Nuclear Regulatory Research (RES) has completed the activities for Research Assistance Request NRR-2021-011, VARSKIN Computer Code Development, (ML21082A303). For this Research Assistance Request (RAR),
RES staff worked closely with staff from your offices Division of Risk Assessment (DRA) and our contractor Renaissance Code Development, Inc. (RCD) under contract 31310022C0011. As a result, the VARSKIN+ computer code is more versatile and maintainable.
The RAR completed the following tasks:
Task 1:
VARSKIN+ Code Maintenance and Support Maintain the VARSKIN computer code and subsequent updates such as fixing end user identified code bugs and operating system updates and provide technical support for training at annual Radiation Protection Computer Code Analysis and Maintenance Program (RAMP) meetings and forum boards, as requested. Specifically, in support of this task in the RAR the RES staff completed the following deliverables with respect to the maintenance, development and updates to the VARSKIN computer code.
1.
In 2021, the RES staff released the VARSKIN+ version 1.0 computer code to the RAMP user community. This version of the VARSKIN computer code added several new dosimetry calculation models to the code including the lens of the eye dose model, the neutron dosimetry model, the alpha dosimetry model, and the wound dose calculation model.
CONTACT:
Brian Allen, RES/DSA (301) 415-8402 February 8, 2025 Signed by Hall, Victor on 02/08/25
M. Khanna 2
2.
In 2022, the RES staff released VARSKIN+ version 1.1 computer code, which made refinements and corrections to the lens of eye dose model, and the wound dose calculation model, and fixed some general maintenance issues in the code (i.e., electron yield issues, half-life issues and unit conversion errors).
3.
In 2023, the RES staff released VARSKIN+ version 1.2 computer code, which was a major release of the code that fixed 19 user identified errors with the VARSKIN computer code. Of specific note in this code release were updates to the skin dose model and wound dose model which improved the handling of radioactive progeny in calculations involving decay-enabled databases.
4.
In 2024 the RES staff released VARSKIN+ version 1.3 which was a major release of the code that added the Radiological Toolbox (RADToolBox) electronic database to the VARSKIN computer code as a new module. The consolidation of the RADToolbox electronic database to the VARSKIN+ computer code is part of the RES scientific computer code investment plan.
Task 2:
Create a wound dosimetry calculation model for beta and gamma radiation to VARSKIN computer code As discussed above with the release of VARSKIN+ version 1.0, the RES staff integrated the National Council on Radiation Protection & Measurements (NCRP) Report No. 156 and the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) 20031:2020 biokinetic wound dosimetry calculation model for beta and gamma radiation into the VARSKIN+ computer code.
Deliverables:
RES provided deliverables for tasks 1 and 2 as described above, in various versions of VARSKIN+ computer code, with the most current being version 1.3.1. Additionally, RES provided training on VARSKIN+ in various RAMP users meetings, the most current being Fall 2024 and RES continues to provide ongoing distribution (via RAMP website), maintenance, technical support and answers to user identified errors of VARSKIN+ computer code.
RES has established an online quality survey to collect feedback from user offices on the usefulness of RES products and services. This survey can be found online at: RES Quality Survey. I would appreciate the responsible manager or supervisor completing this shortabout five minutessurvey within the next 10 working days to present your offices views of the delivered RES product.